Malnutrition is highly prevalent in elderly patients with hip fractures (HF) (intracapsular and extracapsular). Many factors influence the patterns of HF, but the role of nutrition is not yet clear. In this investigation, an analysis of the body compositions of geriatric patients with HF was conducted, to identify differences in the nutritional status between male and female patients with intra- and extra-capsular HF. The nutritional assessment of patients was performed using three different techniques: anthropometrics measurement, plicometry, and bioimpedance analysis. The most prevalent type of fracture in females was the extracapsular type, while the intracapsular type is more common in males. Males showed a lower BMI, fat percentage and a greater length of hospital stay (LOS). Patients with intracapsular fractures are more malnourished compared with patients with extracapsular fractures. Males with HF have a higher prevalence of intracapsular fractures compared to women and stayed in hospital longer
To evaluate the expression, location and role of progesterone receptors (PRs) A and B in human chondrocytic cell lines, Western blotting, real time PCR analyses, transmission electron microscopy and immunogold assays were performed. By transfection and co-transfection assays, the influence of progesterone (OHPg) on estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) promoter activity was investigated. MTT and pAKT documented OHPg effects on chondrocytes survival. The PR-B and PR-A were both observed in human chondrocytes. The PR-B was evidenced both in the nucleus and in the cytosol of the cells. OHPg, through PR-B, induced ERα expression by acting at the ER promoter level affecting chondrocytes survival. We reported for the first time the expression of PRs in human chondrocytes. Interestingly, we described a novel mechanism via progesterone induction of ERα, which may explain, at least in part, the dramatic rise in OA prevalence among postmenopausal women
Over the past decade, the incidence of revision arthroplasty due to infection has increased substantially, often resulting in multiple surgical interventions with variable success rates and poor clinical outcome. Intraoperative wound irrigation has been proposed to reduce bacterial bioburden and contamination, but currently there is no widely accepted recommendation for the use of topical antiseptics, whether as separate molecules or as a mixed solution. We reviewed studies regarding the use of intraoperative topical antiseptics, their security profile and efficacy in preventing and treating infections of orthopedic implants and introduced a possible combination that may prove valuable in the future
NGF has raised interest as a target molecule in the treatment of OA, after the clinical evidences that antagonization of NGF axis provides symptoms relief in OA. Thus, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to investigate the evidence of NGF being overexpressed during OA. We conducted a database search on Medline using keywords including NGF, serum, synovial fluid, AND osteoarthritis or arthritis. We included study conducted on human, with serum or synovial specimens and an OA cohort. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Serum levels ranged from non-detectable to 153.5±28.6 pg/ml. Synovial fluid levels ranged from non-detectable to nearly 210±82 pg/ml. One study supported the evidence of an increased level of NGF in SF and serum of OA patients. The concentration of NGF reported in these studies is controversial and evidence of overexpression of NGF is low
Mesangiogenic Progenitor cells (MPCs) have been isolated from human bone marrow mononuclear cells (hBM-MNCs) and attracted particular attention for their ability to efficiently differentiate into exponentially growing mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and toward endothelial lineage, suggesting the term "mesangiogenic". Coupling mesengenesis and angiogenis, MPCs has been hypothesized retaining a great tissue regenerative potential in musculoskeletal tissues regeneration. Bone marrow and adipose tissue (AT) represent most promising adult multipotent cell sources attempting to repair bone and cartilage, with controversial results regarding advantages applying BM- or AT-derived cells. As different culture determinants as well as tissue of origins, could strongly affect regenerative potential of cell preparations, we hypothesize that MPCs counterpart could have a role in defining efficacy of applying a cell-based medicinal product in musculoskeletal tissue repair. Here we present convincing data demonstrating that the ex vivo progenitors of MPCs are tissue specific and can be detected exclusively in hBM-MNCs
The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the failure rates among different trapeziometacarpal interposition implants used to treat thumb basal joint osteoarthritis. We searched Medline (PubMed), Web of Science and Scopus databases, to identify articles reporting on thumb interpositional arthroplasty, in English literature. We excluded studies with less than 35 cases and with a follow-up shorter than 24 months. Twenty-one studies were included. We assessed the quality of the studies using the Coleman Methodological Score. The mean quality of the studies was moderate. The total number of procedures included in this review was 1205. The failure rate for interposition implants was 11%. The main longterm complication was dislocation, which is also the major reason for revision
Hip revision surgery in cases with previous multiple reconstructive procedures is a challenging procedure. A custom-made product could be useful to obtain good results. Four cases (2 men and 2 women) of acetabular customized Trabecular Titanium (TT) implants made by 3D printed technology were performed. The mean age at surgery was 51.5 years (range 25-72). Patients were reviewed clinically and radiographically at follow-up. Mean Harris Hip Score increased significantly from 13.9 (range 6.9-20.6) preoperatively to 75.8 (range 53.9-94) at last follow-up (mean 43.5, range: 36-59), showing an improvement in terms of both pain relief, function and joint mobility. Radiographically neither signs of instability, migration nor tilting were observed. TT custom-implant made by high performance of the 3D-printing technology, system modularity, and patient-specific surgical tools permitted good clinical results and an effective restoration of the biomechanical joint parameters in these complex revision cases
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial disease, whose exact pathogenesis is still unclear. In recent years, the gut microbiota (GM) has shown to modulate not only local processes but also systemic responses. This narrative review aims to summarize the recent evidence about the link between gut dysbiosis and OA onset and define a potential preventive and therapeutic strategy. OA symptomatic expression, resulting from the complex interplay between mechanical and biological factors, might be enhanced by systemic lowgrade inflammation. It is reported several OA-related risk factors are linked to a systemic inflammatory status and potential GM dysfunctions. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated the presence of lipopolysaccharides, proteoglycan and bacterial nucleic acids in the synovial fluid of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. In the future, microbiota profiling could help predict OA progression and, at the same time, GM could be a potential target in the treatment and prevention of OA
Giant cell tumour (GCT) represents 5% of all primitive bone tumours. Standard surgical treatment of GCT includes intralesional excision or segmental resection. Curettage has a higher recurrence rate (10-25% in stage 2 or 3 but does preserve adjacent joint function. The use of local adjuvants such as phenol, alcohol, H2O2, Argon or cement may decrease recurrence rate, yet which local adjuvant works best is still, to this day, controversial. A series of 109 patients with GCT of the extremity, surgical treated in a single Institution from 2016 to 2018, were analysed in a retrospective study. The purpose of our study was to report the incidence of recurrence rate in patients with GCT of limbs treated in a single institution with different local adjuvants. The results of the present study suggests that curettage in association to cryoablation seems to reduce the recurrence rate compared to "classic" local adjuvants
C-reactive protein (CRP) and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are the two most commonly serum biomarkers for the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infections (PJI). We monitored CRP and ESR in 60 patients affected by osteoarthritis who underwent primary total hip or knee arthroplasty to verify their utility for an early diagnosis of periprosthetic hip and knee infections. In all but two patients, both CRP and ESR increased rapidly after surgery, reaching a peak value around the 3rd day postoperatively; CRP decreased rapidly in 20 days, reaching normal value one month after surgery, while ESR decreased slowly, reaching the normal value after three months. In two patients, CRP and ESR were still elevated six months after the surgical procedure and in both cases a diagnosis of PJI was made. Our study confirms that postoperative screening of CRP and ESR values are very useful in making an early diagnosis of this serious complication
Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder of the connective tissue caused by mutations of the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1) that primarly involves the cardiovascular, skeletal and ocular systems. We investigated 72 children affected by Marfan syndrome in order to identify possible correlations between some musculoskeletal features and specific mutations of fibrillin-1 gene. The following FBN-1 gene mutations have been observed: a missense mutation in 21 children, a stop mutation in 9, a splice mutation in 15 and other mutations in the remaining 27 patients. We observed a statistical significant association between chest asymmetry and splice mutation (p=0.031) and between scoliosis >20° or thoracolumbar kyphosis and stop mutation (p=0.039). However, we did not find a true genotype-phenotype correlation between the fibrillin-1 gene mutations observed and the prognosis of the disease. Future studies are necessary to demonstrate further genotype-phenotype correlations in order to identify early prognostic markers of Marfan syndrome and to plan the most appropriate clinical management accordingly
Telerehabilitation is defined as a set of tools, procedures, and protocols to deliver rehabilitation programs remotely. It involves the use of various communication technologies to efficiently provide rehabilitation services distantly or via some other remote environment. After an orthopedic procedure, physical rehabilitation is essential to restore joint's function, to improve quality of life as well as to relieve pain, to recovery independence. The effectiveness of telerehabilitation has been studied in literature. The aim of this narrative review is to update the current evidence, evaluate the efficacy of telerehabilitation after hip, and knee prosthesis surgery for end stage arthrosis. Results show that it is useful to integrate traditional interventions with telerehabilitation to accelerate efficiency in existing healthcare delivery systems. Future high-methodological-quality studies should be conducted to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of innovative technologies
Hip fractures are common in older and frail adults, and the risk of adverse outcomes and mortality is significantly increased in patients affected by osteosarcopenia. Identifying particularly vulnerable subjects is a critical step to act aimed at promoting postoperative recovery and reducing the risk of adverse events. However, the diagnostic criteria that are currently used to establish the severity of osteosarcopenia are not easily applicable in patients with hip fractures and impaired mobility. In this review, the new knowledge on the pathophysiology of osteosarcopenia that provides several cues for studying biomarkers potentially useful in clinical practice is summarized. Although significant progress has been obtained in understanding the biological mechanisms leading to the involution of the bone- muscle unit, further studies are needed to identify clinically relevant biomarkers and their diagnostic accuracy in establishing the severity of the osteosarcopenia, predicting adverse outcomes, and guiding physicians in choosing appropriate therapeutic interventions
Flexibility is an integral component in any conditioning program. Flexibility has been defined as the ability of a muscle to lengthen and allow one or more joints in a kinetic chain to move through a range of motion. The lack of flexibility of the hamstring muscle group has been associated with a higher risk of non-contact muscle injury, and for several other conditions, such as changes in lumbopelvic rhythm, greater thoracic kyphosis and lumbar flexion, and lower back pain. The present study explored the effects of a 90-minute soccer match on hamstring group flexibility. Our study shows that a 90-minute football match favorably impacts the flexibility of the hamstring muscle group. Flexibility is a modifiable risk factor for muscle strain injury. It remains to be ascertained how long this effect lasts, and whether it may be associated with the risk of developing or avoiding noncontact injury to the hamstring muscle group
The toxic effects of fluoroquinolones and steroid on tendon cells have been well established, but their role on human ligamentocytes remain unclear. We have investigated the effects of ciprofloxacin and methylprednisolone on human anterior cruciate ligamentocytes after 7 and 14 days of culture. We evaluated cell viability, Annexin V-FITC/PI assay, senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, and collagen type I detection. Regarding quinolones administration, we observed that ligament cells treated with ciprofloxacin have characterized by a significantly decrease of cell viability and collagen type I expression and an increase of apoptotic cells. In cells treated with high dose of steroid we observed a significantly decrease of cell viability and collagen type I expression and the presence of senescent cells. Therefore, ciprofloxacin and methylprednisolone might have cytotoxic effects on ligamentocytes by two distinct mechanisms. Quinolones seem to induce cell apoptosis, while steroids might be able to induce cellular senescence. Hence their use should be avoided in athletes and in orthopedic surgery
In the orthopaedic field the foreign body reaction is well known for therapeutic purposes in the alleged Masquelet technique consisting of segmental bone loss two-stage reconstruction. The induced membrane creates advantageous local conditions that promote bone graft remodeling and osteointegration. The aim of our study was to describe the first two cases in Literature of induced membrane observed following silver-coated knee megaprosthesis reconstruction. In addition, it was our interest to evaluate their histological features
The specific traumatic mechanism that leads to the formation of the butterfly fragment is debated in literature. The aim of the present study is to analyze the biomechanics of fractures with a "butterfly" fragment, using a software that simulates the movement of the lines of force (and related iso-displacement points) that occur on the bone, when traumatic forces are applied on it. We have shown that the formation of the butterfly fragment derives from the application of three forces (compression, torsion and bending) with the bending force that acts by increasing the curvature of the long bone
In recent years, the interest in stromal vascular fraction (SVF) therapy for conservative treatment of osteoarthritis has grown significantly. This study aims to assess three different processing systems (micro-fragmentation, filtration, or slow centrifugation) in terms of cell proliferation in vitro and clinical results of intraarticular injections for the treatment of knee OA. From December 2017 to June 2018, 25 procedures were performed using three different systems. A considerable improvement of the clinical condition in almost all patients already one month after the treatment with a stable effect at 6 and 12 months was recorded. Patients treated with SVF, obtained by the micro-fragmentation system, had better outcomes one month after the treatment with a mean improvement of the symptomatology higher than that found in patients treated with the filtration or slow centrifugation system. The SVF product from the same system had a higher cell proliferation capacity in vitro
Total knee replacement (TKR) is a widely used procedure for the treatment of post-traumatic arthritis. This type of solution has also been used recently for the treatment of acute fractures around the knee, particularly in joints that already presented arthritis before the trauma. In case of complex fractures of the distal femur especially in older or very compromised patients, the use of a segmental implant can be an option of treatment in order to obtain a quicker recovery of the patient allowing early mobilization and weight bearing. The purpose of this paper is to present our experience with segmental TKR in the treatment of complex fractures of the distal femur highlighting the main problems associated with these conditions and focusing on the indications, principles of technique, tips, tricks and pitfalls of this procedure
Metal allergy is an uncommon and not completely understood cause of failure in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). However, either immunopathology neither histologic studies clarified the mechanisms through which the metal ions could lead to the complications related to them. The lack of evidence around this topic also reflects the difficulties to diagnose the MRP in TJA. In fact, the diagnosis is generally based on the exclusion of other causes. Currently, skin-patch testing and lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) are being commonly used to investigate about metal hypersensitivity and a delayed type-IV hypersensitivity is the immuno-histologic response to metals involved in TJA loosening. A review of the recent publications about this topic has been made focusing on immunology, histopathology, and clinics to better understand a still debated topic in orthopedic practice
Clinical biophysics investigates the relationship between non-ionizing physical energy and the human body. This narrative review aims to summarize the current evidence on the efficacy of PEMF-therapy in the promotion of fracture healing. The effectiveness of PEMFs has been deeply investigated in preclinical in vitro ed in vivo studies and level-I clinical studies. All these studies depicted only PEMF-devices with specific physical wave features - i.e. pulse shape, frequency and amplitude- could significantly promote bone repair. Moreover, the dose-response relationship was also defined in preclinical studies, thus providing the minimum exposure time needed in PEMF-therapy. PEMFs are currently employed in the management several bone injuries, including acute fractures at non-union risk, non-unions, osteotomies, stress fractures and osteonecrosis. Moreover, several ongoing studies are investigating the effectiveness of PEMFs on emerging clinical conditions, thus the indications to PEMF-therapy could potentially raise in future years